


Sun not yet risen, but magic everywhere

by lovesonthebrain



Category: Harry Styles - Fandom, Louis Tomlinson - Fandom, One Direction (Band)
Genre: ABO, ABO dynamics, Alpha Harry, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Bottom Louis, Cheating, Historical, I guess you could tag this as, Infidelity, M/M, Omega Louis, Pony Rider Louis, Top Harry, Vet Harry, Water For Elephants AU, circus AU, pretty louis
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-09
Updated: 2017-12-08
Packaged: 2019-02-12 10:38:07
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 14,631
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12957429
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lovesonthebrain/pseuds/lovesonthebrain
Summary: Harry loses everything he's ever thought he had, but gains it quicker than he expected when he meets a pretty pony rider.





	Sun not yet risen, but magic everywhere

**Author's Note:**

> Any comments are appreciated!:)

“I think I lost and gained my whole life on one day in particular. It was 1931 and the weather was amazing. I had just finished my last day of veterinarian school. Four years, I spent four years doing it! I was so excited to come home and tell my mother and father. I came home and…”

 

“Mother! Mom, where are you? Father, are you home?” Harry looked around. He didn’t hear a single thing in response. That was odd, Mother was always home around this time, cooking dinner in the kitchen while Father relaxed in front of the radio with a newspaper.

“Mother? Father?” Harry called again. He loosened his tie and took off his suit jacket and hat, hanging them up on the hook by the front door. He’s sure his hair is absolutely unruly, running his fingers through the almond locks, smile still etched onto his face. 

It was two seconds later when he heard a knock on his front door. He opened the wooden piece to find two police officers, adorned with sulking faces. 

The news of his parents dying in a car crash was Earth shattering. It seemed like the universe wanted to play a sick game on Harry, because his parents never drove. They walked everywhere, to the market, to work. Though, on this very day, when Harry was so excited about graduating he was bursting at the seams to tell them, they decided to. And they lost their life. 

 

“My parents still hadn’t paid off my schooling, so I had to sell the house. Or, well, the bank possessed it. I don’t remember. All I remember is grabbing whatever I could in a small backpack and walking. I walked so far! I didn’t know what day it was because the sun had risen and set more times than I could count. I drank at streams and I stole food at markets with the children. I didn’t think. I had all that time and I didn’t think! The only thing in my head was, what now?”

 

It was night. That’s all Harry knew. Where a dirt road had come to an end, Harry had taken up following a lone rail road track. He figured anywhere a train could go, he could go. Plus, he hadn’t actually seen a train since he began following the track two days ago. He thinks it’s abandoned. That’d be just his luck. 

It was with surprise that Harry jumped. The sound of a train behind him stopped his thinking, making him smirk to himself for being so pessimistic. Then, he got an idea. 

As the train came closer and closer, Harry’s courage seemed to deplete. But, the alpha had to do this. He had to. Just as the train rushed by him, knocking the wind out of his chest, Harry looked for anywhere to grab, any part of the train slower and more accessible than the other. It was hard, because it was going so fast and the thing seemed miles long until, his eyes found an empty flat-bed car. It took everything Harry had to begin sprinting to catch up to the small car. There was no way he could be as fast as a train, but if he could just find some place to grab and soon-

“Ah!” Harry felt the word knocked out of his chest when his hand found purchase on an iron bar. He let his fingers curl around the metal and hung on for dear life, letting his other hand find it too for a better chance. He used the advantage to pull his entire body onto the train, and then plopping down onto the floorboards in exhaustion. 

The tall alpha took the time to lay his body flat on his back, taking a small rest. His backpack lay right beside him, strapped to him still so it wouldn’t fly off as the train still rushed by the forest he was just in. The cool floorboards felt nice against his aching back after walking nonstop, and the breeze of the moving train felt even better against his heated skin. He huffed out a content sigh. 

Suddenly all the air was taken from his lungs as he was hauled to his feet by his coat collar. He seemed to move so fast and the train was so dark, his eyes couldn’t pick up on what was going on. 

“We don’t need no bums on our train, pal.” It was a rough voice, one that was aged and maybe affected by bad alcohol if Harry could detect the slur of his words right. 

So, there were people.

Harry’s eyes finally focused to the low lighting of the train car and saw an entire bench fool of men. Some were old and some were as young as early teens. They had shabby clothes on and were as dirty as sewer rats. What exactly went on on this train? 

They all looked confused, but more so, protective. Protective of their train, if this guy’s words were anything to go by. 

“Look, gentlemen, I’m no bum, I was just- just catching a ride.” Harry assured, trying to let his feet find purchase on the floor once again. They found it soon, as the man seemed to drop him, letting him land in a heap back on the floor. 

“His clothes are nice and clean, expensive too. Where do ya think pretty boy comes from, Nick?” One calls. His head is disoriented from the fall and can’t tell which man is talking, exactly. 

Another guy, one Harry has eyes on, cackles in the corner and nods. “I say New York. Looks like a dumb yank to me!” He must be Nick. 

Suddenly, Nick pulls out a shiny gun from his coat and points it directly at Harry’s face. “I’ll tell ya again, chap. We don’t need no bums and certainly no rich boys around here.” Harry hears the gun cock and just closes his eyes, waiting for the sound of the barrel blasting. 

“What the fuck? Nick!” A high voice calls from behind Harry’s head. The voice has an accent, one the alpha can’t focus on at all because he currently has a gun barrel in the vicinity of his face. He does open his eyes though, and finds a frost-color-haired boy in front of him, seemingly yelling at Nick. 

Nick only laughs and lowers his gun, putting it back in his jacket pocket. Harry breathes a sigh of relief at the action. 

“You can’t go ‘round puttin ya gun in people’s faces! Ya gonna end up killin’ someone and boss isn’t gonna like it!” The man screams. 

The other men on the train seem to just giggle at his words. Harry doesn’t get what’s so funny. 

“Niall, please relax. It was only in good fun.”

The man, Niall, doesn’t seem to agree, for he flicks Nick upside the head with a scowl before turning to Harry. Coming face to face with him, Niall smiles in greeting. “Hi! I’m Niall. Who are you?”

“Harry..” the brunette shakily answers. 

Niall’s smile seems to get even bigger at the answer, if that’s even possible. Harry takes this time to take in his appearance. He’s just as dirty and unkept as the other men on the train, but his overalls are at least in one piece.

“So, Harry, what can you do on the train?”

That confuses Harry. He just jumped on what he thought was a cargo train as a free ride to Chicago, or maybe farther. What even is this train? “What?” Harry questions, confused. 

Niall doesn’t falter. “What can ya do? I feed the horses and clean the stalls usually, but I’m also on set up crew. Ya think ya can help with that? We always need chaps for set up crew.”

The alpha’s eyebrows draw together immediately. “Horses? Set up crew?” He asks, in disbelief. Did he catch a ride with the loony people? Is this a joke?

It was almost comical how fast Niall’s smile fell off his face. He took a step back and put his hand on his forehead. “Please tell me ya know what train you’re on, kid.”

Harry can only shake his head in answer. 

“This is Anastasia Life! The biggest traveling circus in America!” Niall is animated in his explaining, Harry’s face is unreadable he’s sure. “We’re on our way to Illinois right now. Got a show or two up there and then we’ll circle back around. So anyways, what can you do?” 

Harry doesn’t know what he can do. He’s a vet. Maybe he can do something with the animals, right? “The animals, I can work with them. I have a degree in their care,” is what he offers Niall, sheepishly. 

Niall all but laughs in his face. “Harry, chap, I don’t mean t’ burst your bubble, but the only work around here is labor work. And if ya don’t work, well, I’ve heard of people gettin’ throwed off this thing right when we get to the rocks.”

Harry shivers at the tale. “Well.. I guess I could do set up crew, you know, if you help me along the way?”

Niall beams. “Perfect!”

From there Harry got shown his sleeping quarters, which really wasn’t a sleeping quarters at all. The room itself was packed with bunk beds, barely any room to walk between the beds themselves. Everywhere he looked, there were men sleeping, reading or doing some kind of activity to keep themselves busy. It was dirty and it stunk like week-old food, nothing Harry had smelled before, but Niall had taken the bunk right next to his so at least he had that. That boy was sweet enough. 

“So, Harry, ya an alpha?” Niall questions. He’s getting comfortable in his bunk, though Harry sees the action as hopeless. 

Harry’s face shows confusion again. He feels like everything Niall says stumps him, though he’s the one with a college degree. “I am. You can’t smell me?”

Niall huffs an innocent laugh. “Nah, fellow. Haven’t had smell since I was a wee boy.” Irish. His accent is Irish, Harry realizes. 

“Well, that’s fair. Betas don’t really need that smell anyways,” Harry answers back lightly. 

Niall nods in agreement, settling in more. “Well, Harry, ya better get some rest. Tomorrow, you see Elias.”

 

X

 

The next morning, Harry is still moving. It’s a weird feeling the alpha doesn’t know he’ll ever get used to, the constant movement of the train beneath him. Though, when his head clears in the process of waking up, Harry realizes it was the sound of screeching that woke him up. They’re stopping the train. 

In a rush, Harry realizes everyone else has left their bed for the day, even Niall. He stands quickly, throwing on his boots and running outside, jumping down from the still moving, though slowly, train car in wonder of what his eyes are seeing. 

Men, what seems to be hundreds of them, are jumping off of the train and running to get to the day’s duties. In one direction Harry looks, he can see about twenty men hitting a metal rod into the ground with their hammers, and in another he can see tents going up. It’s a real circus, and getting to see it from this view is incredible. 

“Kind of great, isn’t it?” 

Harry jumps, only to see it’s Niall beside him. “You scared me!” 

Niall waves him off. “This is set up crew. We are in charge of getting it all up within a day.”

“A day!? All this will be done by sunset?” Harry says in disbelief. 

Niall nods, and from there, leads Harry around to let him in on certain jobs. 

First, he shows Harry where the tents go up and the two of them help pull the strings with about fifty other men. The tent is huge, but is only one of twelve that needs to go up. They spend about another two hours helping put up those too. 

Then, the two of them have a small meal that Niall mysteriously whips out before they help with unloading carts filled with chairs, decorations, etc. 

It isn’t until the sun is about to set when Harry glances around him and hears a strange sound. An elephant? It can’t be. 

Harry finds himself straying away from Niall and the group they’ve worked with for the day, in favor of staring in the direction the sound came from. Before his eyes, as a carriage moves from his view, Harry Styles gets a view of the most beautiful animal ever. Except, the sounds emitting from the animal’s trunk are sounds of… pain?

“Hey!” Harry screams before he can stop himself. He takes off in a sprint to the large warehouse where the animal is… tied up? Harry is only angrier. “Hey!” He yells again to the man beside the animal. He has a cane in his hand and is snapping it at the elephant’s skin repeatedly, each time drawing a sound from the creature. 

As the alpha gets closer, his eyes can see there are open wounds all around the elephant. They’re bright red and bleeding, Harry can only imagine how much they must hurt, open and exposed to cool air, not to mention being hit over and over. 

The man turns to Harry with a look of disgust. “And who might you be?”

Harry doesn’t falter, and rips the cane out of the man’s hand. He’s dressed impeccably, but the alpha doesn’t care one bit as he makes his way to the creature and inspects it’s wounds. “Harry Styles,” he answers. “Are you aware this elephant suffers infections in almost every one of these wounds?”

The man raises an eyebrow. “You know about animals?”

Harry nods, taking the water bottle in his pocket and pouring the cool water on one of the cuts the elephant’s tough skin has. The animal seems to whimper in pain, but Harry hushes it with a kiss to it’s tough skin. “Not particularly elephants but a veterinarian degree taught me a few things.”

The man seems very intrigued, though Harry couldn’t care less. “A degree, you say? Well chap, are you looking for work? I could use a animal care giver around. Got a horse in critical care, actually.”

It’s then that Harry realizes this man must be Elias, the owner of the train, like Niall said. “You’re Elias, sir?”

The man cackles at the question when it really isn’t all that funny, in Harry’s opinion. “The one and only. Who are you, son?” 

Harry puts his hand out. “Harry Styles, sir. I- Well.. I rode your train last night.”

Elias’ gaze turns to one of confusion as he looks back and forth to where the set up crew are working, and where Harry is standing. “Rode my train?” He asks, until realization shows on his face. “You’re the boy Horan’s told me about. Well, he mentioned you were here for set ups, didn’t mention no animal career.”

“I just graduated, sir.”

The man hums, looking back to the elephant. “I see. Well! If you are interested, I’d like to offer you a job. This here beast needs to learn some manners. Bought it cheap, but damn it, it doesn’t listen! Get it cleaned up and ready in time for our show in Washington next week and I’ll show you a pretty penny. My dear husband will love this as an anniversary gift.”

Harry puffs out a breath of air. “Sir, I’m not- I’m no elephant trainer. I’m a veterinarian, I heal animals. I don’t know anything about training-“

“I’ll see you soon, Harry Styles. I’m sure Ana will be cleaned up and perfect for that show.”

And with that, the man had left Harry alone with a giant elephant. 

 

“The thing was huge! It seemed like it would step on me if I got too close, I was terrified. I wasn’t too terrified to get to know it, though right as I go to assessing her other wounds, some other crew came by to put her in her own train car…”

 

“So, an elephant?”

“An elephant! Fifty feet tall and about as big as a stadium.”

Niall smiled at Harry’s story-telling. They were huddled together on the mattresses of their bed, not by choice but rather because there was hardly space to separate themselves in the sleeping cabin. “Well, she’s all your job now. Don’t even know why ya still back ‘ere with me, the big boys that handle the actual show got sleeping cars to the front. Let me tell you, they’re something fancy.”

Harry chuckled at the knowledge. Niall was a character to him, like something out of a book he was read when he was little. It was fun getting to know him and some of the other crew, fun enough to make him feel at home on the train by just one day. He no longer felt a leap in his stomach every time the train sped up or slowed down, and as his skin soaked up the sweat from the day’s work, he felt satisfied rather than disgusted. 

“No, sir. I quite like it down here, you know, when I’m not getting a gun to the face,” Harry admitted. The memory was still fresh in his mind, though he hasn’t spotted Nick again all day. 

The beta beside him joined in on the laugh. “Ya better be up in time tomorrow then! Nick don’t take too kindly to folk who are late!”

 

X

 

The next morning, Harry made sure to be up right when he felt Niall moving beside him. He got up, tried his best to comb through the tangled and knotted locks on his head and scrub the dirt from underneath his fingernails. It was all useless, really, because the alpha just got dirtier within the hour when he had a rude awakening.

The alpha was standing with Niall behind some empty cargo trains, taking a break to wipe the sweat from his forehead and get a drink of water, when Elias makes his figure shown. The men around Harry seem to tense up while just being in this man’s presence, and Harry doesn’t know why. He’s pushy, yes, but seemed nice enough when he and Harry spoke the day before. 

“Styles,” the man booms, stern. 

Harry falters in his gulp of water. “Yes, sir?”

The man’s face is hard and refuses to move from it’s position. “I told you to have that elephant ready by this time.”

Harry almost spits said water out of his mouth in disbelief. “Sir, my apologies if we had a miscommunication, but I remember telling you I’m no animal trainer. Plus, you mentioned the next show in Washington. We’re still in Illinois, sir.”

As he finishes his sentence, Harry feels hands on his clothes, hoisting him up into the air. It feels all too familiar to the alpha, really. 

Wordlessly, Harry is led out of the area by what seem to be Elias’ personal meat-heads. His alpha is screaming at him to fight these men, but like when Nick’s men decided to hoist from the Earth, he keeps it at bay, because he would actually like to keep his life thank you. 

They take him to an empty tent. There isn’t anything under it but the grass, which they throw him on. Harry is pretty sure his face goes red from anger. “What’s this about?”

Elias turns to him. “If you can’t fix a damn elephant, you’re gonna fix this.” 

Harry is confused, at first, before the flaps of the tent open once again and in walks four more creatures. They’re horses, all four solid white and almost glowing in their beauty. Their hair has glitter in it, where it’s neatly combed down the sides of their body. Harry’s never seen horses so pretty, but behind the horses, in walks a boy. A pretty boy, in a skin tight body suit with gems all over it. His eyes sparkle with makeup, and Harry’s pretty sure he’s the sun, moon and all the stars. 

“This is Luna,” the boy starts off. It takes a second for Harry to realize he’s talking to him. The boy is pointing at the ground next to one of the horses. “She’s limping, and she’s shaking and I’m worried she’s in pain.”

It’s just then that Harry smells the beautiful honey scent of an omega. This boy is an omega, and well, Harry hasn’t actually seen a male omega. They’re a rare sight, that’s for sure, and as someone that’s spent the last two days stuffed in a cabin with only alpha and beta stenches, they’re refreshing to see. 

But back to the task at hand. 

Slowly, looking at the boy for approval, Harry reaches down to feel the horse’s leg for any breaks. The leg is swollen, and the omega is right, Luna has to be in a lot of pain as the area is a reddish color from irritation. The alpha’s fingers pick up no bone breaks though. 

“Without proper equipment I can’t do much, but there is no break in the leg.” The entire room seems to soften, and his alpha can feel the omega in the room let out a sigh of relief. “Is the horse a show horse? The reason I’m asking is because the ankle is for sure swollen and irritated. It’s probably twisted and will need a week or two to heal properly. Luna is lucky, broken legs-“

“Two weeks?!” Elias screeches. Harry looks up to him guiltily. He nods silently in confirmation and hope that it doesn’t end his life. 

“Luna can’t be out for two weeks, son! We have a show tonight and three next week! She has to be able to perform in every one!” Elias screams, like a child, Harry thinks to himself. 

The tall brunette throws his hands up in surrender. “Sir, horse’s legs are important for their survival. If we don’t let it heal she could -“

“Elias! Listen to the man! It won’t hurt if she’s out for a few shows!” The omega in the room pleads. “If we don’t do this, she could have to be put down.”

Elias seems to think it over for a moment, just one, before speaking. “We have a show to do.” With that, the man walked out quickly, not sparing even an apologetic glance to the omega or the horses, his entourage following behind him in the same style. 

It’s when he’s no longer in sight does the boy collapse on the ground next to the horse, Luna. He starts sobbing uncontrollably as he hugs the animal, letting his tears fall into her fur loudly. Harry’s alpha rumbles in his chest, hearing the omega whimpers coming from him. An omega in distress is all that he can think about. 

“There’s nothing you can do?” It’s a small whisper, as pretty as ever, coming from the boy on the ground. He’s almost pleading to Harry, and well if that doesn’t tug on the alpha’s heart strings. 

Sadly, there isn’t. “Horses stand twenty three hours out of the day… she needs rest. It could save her life. Otherwise…”

The boy only starts to cry more into the horse, and Harry isn’t sure what to do. It’s his alpha instincts that guide him over to the small figure, and grabs his shoulder in a gentle, supporting grip. He rubs the area in what he hopes is in a comforting way, but the boy whips around quickly at the touch and shrugs it off. Just as quick, the omega wipes his face and miraculously makes his face look like he’s never shed a tear before, and brushed the grass off his knees. 

With a nod, the boy looks at Harry. “We have a show to do.” He repeats.

And with that, the small omega leads the pretty horses from which he came. 

 

“He was so miraculous, I thought about him all day. I remembered the jewels decorating his wide hips and the way the bodysuit hugged every curve. His honey scent was stuck in my nose for hours, I had goosebumps down my arms to show for it. He was a fine specimen, and he left me in wonder. What was such a beauty doing on this god forsaken train?”

 

“So, we get to see the show?”

Niall nods, wiping the sweat off his forehead. They had just come from finishing up cleaning out the horse stables. Harry could only imagine how much they reeked from the task, and found himself wondering when his next bath would be. Looking at Niall and his clothes, the same ones Harry found him in days ago, and the dirt still covering his body, Harry didn’t think it would be soon. 

After the stables were done, Niall led himself and Harry to the main tent, where the show had supposedly already started. 

Harry had never actually been to a circus. He didn’t know if what he heard about them doing dangerous stunts and playing with fire had any truth to it, but when he walked into the tent and saw a man on a bike with flaming torches in his hands, he knew he was right. 

It was something out of a movie, the show. A man walks on a thin rope while being three hundred feet high, and everyone in the crowd is in awe. A lion is impeccably trained to put on some kind of skit everyone just thinks is adorable. Kids laugh, parents are excited, food is ate and everyone is happy.

It’s truly a show to watch, something mindless and easy to pay attention to, except, there’s a man sat high up on his very own chair in the corner. He has a black top hat on, and a full suit. He’s Harry’s boss, and he’s also the ringleader. Harry should’ve put the pieces together sooner. 

A pretty tune drowning out the crowd’s usual ruckus is what draws Harry’s attention away from his boss and back to the show. By now it’s dark, and the alpha know’s by now that the next act is up. 

A light from above is turned on, shining down hotly onto the center of the sand pit. There stands the boy from just yesterday, in an even prettier outfit. Still white, still decorated with pink jewels that gleamed as he moved, as the light hit them all different ways. Still as beautiful as ever. 

Then the omega raised his hand, and in walked his four horses. They were magnificent creatures, obviously trained and bred to be show horses, but something about how easily they followed this boy’s command made the entire show graceful, delicate. 

 

“I never believed he was real. In his white outfit and angel features, he was an angel, and I thought I was just being given a sneak peek at what Heaven was like. Under all those lights, put on display like a pretty omega deserves to be, it was unreal…”

 

The small omega made his horses do runs around the sand, and then he rode them. He laid on their backs and made them run fast around the circle, he trusted them so much, he was so pliant in their control. It was marvelous to see, though the alpha couldn’t help but notice Luna’s limping. The horse was shaking, very subtly, but Harry could see it. She was almost on the verge of breaking down, he knew it, but before he could intervene, because he never liked to see an animal in pain, the omega’s show was over, and the crowd was cheering louder than ever. 

 

The one thing Harry wanted to do upon the circus ending was find the omega boy who had just put on that show. It was a hard task, because Niall wanted to go straight back to their bunks to get in a long sleep and civilians were milling about everywhere, leaving the area. 

Harry checked around the main tent, and even the surrounding tents for the boy. His eyes searched the crowd for a white gem suit, anything that would indicate where he went, until the alpha just decided to give up. He’ll find him tomorrow, or maybe it was never meant to be. 

Though, there was something else Harry wanted to do. His mind can’t help but think about Luna again, the poor horse in pain from being overworked and the cruelty of Elias. He figures he’ll go to the horse cars and check on her, if she’s feeling any better. 

The car is towards the front and what catches Harry off guard is the boy in the horse stables. The boy from the show. 

He’s crying. Harry can hear the sobs before he even makes it through the opening of the car. 

There, on the ground in the hay, lays Luna on her side, visibly shaking. The boy is once again sobbing into her short, snow white coat, and once again, the alpha in Harry is screaming to help an omega in distress. 

“She’s shaking.”

At the sound of a man’s voice, the brunette on the ground swiftly shifts his head to the voice. He seems surprised, embarrassed even, to be seen crying, as he quickly wipes at his face and the tears of the surface. It’s hopeless, because his eyes are bloodshot and Harry’s once again, an alpha. He can smell the sadness radiating from the car. 

Harry doesn’t really expect an answer from his question, but when the boy starts talking all he can do is listen. 

“I got Luna two years ago. She was my baby, and was such a pretty pony. I wasn’t even in the show, then. Elias just got her for me to ride around, he always said I looked prettier on a pretty pony,” the boy sniffles, and Harry can only take a seat right next to him in the hay. 

“I got into the show when one of the acts got really sick just hours before we were set to start. It was so funny, Zayn just thrust me into the sand pit with Luna and said just to ride, that everyone would love me. And they did, the crowd loved me.” By this time, the boy was smiling, but a sad one. One that seemed to convey all his memories at once.

“Elias wanted me in the show after he saw the ticket sales from later shows, people hoping to see me. I didn’t like it, being put on display. That was Zayn’s thing, not mine! He’s good with the big cats, and the people loving his pretty face. It just wasn’t me… and Elias just threw all these routines at me! All this makeup and outfits and even three more ponies! It was cruel… until I just got used to it…”

For a minute, the boy seemed to stare off into space, his head foggy blue in thought like his eyes.

“Elias is…”

“A sorry excuse of a husband,” the boy spits, now visibly angered instead of just sad, and well, Harry was not at all expecting that. So, they were lovers, Elias and this beautiful, sweet boy. 

“My Luna, my sweet Luna who was the only thing to go through this hell with me, will be gone soon and… and it’s all Elias’ fault!” By now the boy is back in heavy sobs and Harry can’t hold it back anymore, his alpha itches to take the omega in his arms and comfort him, so he does just that. 

It’s warm, the feeling of the omega so pliant in his arms. He’s pretty sure he doesn’t even realize he’s in another alpha’s arms, until he feels the boy nuzzle and get more comfortable. His face goes directly into Harry’s neck, right where his scent Is strongest, huskiest. The alpha makes sure to put as much comfort into his scent as possible. 

“Who are you?” It’s a whisper, coming from the now-calm omega. 

“Harry Styles, your husband wants me to be the circus animal caretaker.”

The omega hums in answer. “I’m Louis.”

He’s Louis. 

It’s over all too soon, as Louis pulls away and wipes at his eyes where tears are currently drying up. He’s pretty like this. Harry wants to say how much bluer his eyes are after crying and how his scent is strongest in this small train car, but he doesn’t. Instead, he nods towards the horse. “She’s still in pain.”

Louis nods, too, looking at her sadly. “I tried, that day. I tried getting Elias to let her out of the show. Just one, Harry. But nobody, nothing does anything unless Elias says so. He’s going to be the reason for her death.”

Harry nods, because it’s the truth, and he’s never been one to lie. He wishes there was something he can do. 

“How much longer do you think she’ll last?” Louis whispers, voice scared.   
It’s brainless to Harry. “A week. She won’t die naturally. She’ll have to be put down once she can’t stand, it’ll be too much pain for her.”

Louis cries again, at the news. Harry holds him again. And then they fall asleep. 

 

“Anastasia Life created heaven on Earth in one day. And the next day, it was packed up and shipped off to the next destination. And Louis was there, in hell.”

 

It was in a hurry that Harry woke up the next day. He was still in the horse’s stables, the sun was high in the sky, and the train was moving. Which meant Harry had to make his way through all the other train cars to get to his, which was in the very back, practically the last train. He didn’t know what cars came in between his bed and the stables, but he could only hope the lions weren’t one of them. 

As he made his way through thousands of doors, it seemed like most of them were storage, because all his eyes caught onto were boxes, chests and tents, until he opens the door to a particularly loud train car. Inside, is people Harry doesn’t know personally, but has seen before. The people in the actual show. This is their cabin train. 

“I-I’m sorry I was just-“

“Harry!” It’s Elias’ voice, and well, that’s just Harry’s luck. The tall alpha looks around the twenty or so people in the car to where Elias can be seen in the very back, sat at a table with Louis by his side. “Come here boy!” He’s very loud, is all Harry can think. 

Harry squeezes his way through the people, who by the way, are all giving him either curious or resentful looks. He knows he stinks, from working and not getting a bath, and his clothes are dirty, that’s probably why. 

When he reaches Elias, he waddles between his two feet. There’s not an extra chair, so he doesn’t exactly know where to go and he’s halfway considering sitting on the ground when Elias pulls Louis from his seat and into his lap. It’s a shocking event in Harry’s head, but then he remembers they’re married. Well. 

“Hi, sir,” Harry gives, looking to Louis to ask for permission to take his seat. Louis looks disgusted, though not at Harry, but at Elias’ actions. 

“You got that horse to do the show! That deserves a drink!” Elias cheers, and the whole car joins in with him, raising their own glasses. Harry is confused. 

“Sir, I didn’t-“

“He’s drunk.” Then Harry understands. Louis doesn’t seem at all guilty for blurting that out. 

Elias, though, is right offended. “I am not, darling. Just happy, the boy’s fixed your horse! It’s a miracle!”

Louis looks even more disgusted as possible, and turns his face so it isn’t facing Elias but Harry, giving the alpha a ‘can you believe this’ look. Harry doesn’t know what he walked into. 

Louis seems to drop it from there on, though. Harry drinks really bad alcohol with Elias and even meets some of the sober performers – the drunk ones don’t take a liking to him. 

The man he likes most is Liam, the tightrope guy. He’s just a puppy with a talent, in Harry’s mind. They talk about music over a beer and Harry can’t help but think of how much Niall would love this guy. Niall, oh hell, he has to get back to Niall, who’s probably wondering where’s he been for the last twenty four hours. 

“Can I steal him away, dear?” Louis’ voice carries over the drunk idiots screaming. The omega is talking to Liam, but has a hand on Harry’s arm, where the touch is hot and aware. 

Liam nods and turns swiftly back to his friends, and that leaves a confused Harry and, Louis. 

“Steal me away?” Harry questions, but smiling. 

Louis smiles sweetly and nods, and that’s the first time Harry has seen a smile on his face, albeit a small one. The omega is dressed beautifully, in a pretty white top with long, flowing pants to match. Harry can’t help but admire the curves the outfit shows. 

Louis doesn’t take him out of the train car but he does take him to the other side of it, where there is music playing and a bit of open space. Though it is loud and Harry can barely hear the tune coming through the record, his ears easily pick up on it. He loves this song. 

It’s when Louis puts his arms around Harry’s neck that the alpha gets what’s going on. The shorter brunette wants to dance. 

“Elias…” Harry says, confused. He’s been confused a lot lately. 

Louis only smiles wider and shakes his head. “It’s one dance,” he says innocently, closing his eyes and moving his hips slowly. 

Harry can’t deny him, not when his tan neck is on display for Harry’s perfect view and he can smell the omega’s sweet scent so perfectly from the close proximity. So, with small hesitancy, Harry lets his hands land gently on Louis’ hips, just a little high to not give the wrong idea, though he wants to so, so bad. 

“I love this song,” Harry says, because he has nothing better to. 

Louis gives him an interested look. “Really? Me too! I’ve always wanted to sing or something…”

Harry smiles, too, at that. “Oh, me too! I’ve wanted to sing since I was really little, Mother always said I had the perfect voice for it, and I play the guitar, but Father thought a degree would be a more solid future.”

“That’s nonsense! I bet you would be amazing, you have the charm.” Louis is smiling, and Harry finds it beautiful, because they’re not talking about anything major, just simple conversation and he’s so happy, and he can smell the omega’s happiness. 

“Well, what about you? Why didn’t you ever try the singing business?” Harry shot, to avoid the compliment. 

Louis hummed for a moment, thinking it over, letting his eyes drift to the other side of the room, behind Harry’s back. “Elias. I met Elias when I was sixteen, and I thought it was love. He dreamed of a circus and really, that’s what he got.”

“Sixteen… he looks about fifty…”

“Yes, he was forty-three when we met, fort-five when we were married. It all happened so fast. I was only supposed to be his pretty wife, who sat and did whatever they were told, and I just… I obeyed,” Louis chuckled lightly, finding it silly, and Harry loved the sound. 

“Obeyed? And you don’t obey now?” The alpha’s voice was teasing as they swayed together, the song coming to an almost end. 

Louis smirked, challenging. “And he’ll never get me too again.”

“Louis! Darling!” Elias’ voice called, loud and slurring. Louis rolled his eyes when Harry immediately threw himself a foot away from the omega. 

“Yes, Elias?”

Elias grabbed the boys face rather harshly and brought their lips together in a clash. When he let go, smiling at his wife, there were red finger prints of Louis’ cheek, ones that made Harry’s insides burn in protectiveness. 

Harry took that as his signal to leave. “Elias, it was great seeing you tonight! I will see you tomorrow during set up, hopefully,” The alpha smiled kindly, though he felt guilty when really, what was there to be guilty about?

Elias smiled back, clapping his hand on Harry’s back like a father would. “Oh Harry, I knew keeping you around would do me good! Such a hard worker, now go get some sleep, boy!” 

Harry just chuckled lightly and nodded at the drunk man’s words. He let his eyes wonder to the omega and could see the sadness and anger in them. Harry felt pangs in his heart with every step he took towards his own train car, just picturing Louis’ face. 

 

X

 

The next day it was back to work with Niall. The night before had gone well, Harry deciding just to come clean to Niall and tell him Elias insisted he stay for the party, leaving out the bits about a certain small omega. And Niall took the story easily, laughing along with Harry told the beta about Elias’ drunk slurs and about Liam the tightrope walker. It felt nice, to have friends and forget about the disaster his old life had dropped upon his shoulders. He reminded himself not to think about it again. 

Currently, though, Harry was swinging more hammers and hitting tent-stilts into the ground for the show later tonight. He hadn’t talked to Louis, though that’s all his mind thought about while he worked, but he caught short and vague glances of the omega. Once, across the grass yard when the short boy was hanging off Elias’ arm and another time when he was combing the horses hair, braiding it for the show. Both times, Louis caught his eye and smiles, neither time did they find the time to say hello. Harry hated that. 

But, Harry didn’t hate that, like Niall said, they got to see the show. He’d get to see Louis’ horse enchantment once again. 

“What’s got your attention?” Niall questions. He’s teasing, Harry can tell, but he also seems serious in his question. 

Harry shakes his head. “Nothing. Just thinking about home.” He feels the lie slip off his tongue easily and it’s weird, lying to Niall. The person who took him in like it was nothing. 

“Oh! I do that all the time. Me brother in Ireland has a son, my nephew! Cutest boy ever. I had always wanted him to come see the show, but they’re never able to make it down ‘ere. Money issues and all that.”

And, well, Harry never really thought about the possibility of someone not having money. He wants to ask Niall more about it, but he feels like it’d be insensitive. Where he lived, you didn’t mingle with the poorer folks. His mother didn’t actually come out and tell him that, but it was implied in a lot of things she did or said. And for years Harry believed that wasn’t what you were supposed to do, and how bad the poorer people were. But Niall’s amazing, such a good friend, and he’s obviously not well off. Harry’s mother was wrong. 

“I wish I knew you back home,” Harry finds himself telling Niall, his voice full of emotion. 

Niall laughs, loud and cackling. “You’re too nice. But, me too!” 

Then, Harry gets a thought. He’s been on this train a short time but pretty much everyone he’s met knows Niall, as if Niall has been on this train for a very, very long time. So maybe he’d know. 

“Niall?” 

The blonde beta hummed. 

“What do you know about Elias?”

The question seemed to catch Niall off guard, and that wasn’t in his character, but Harry didn’t back down. He wanted to know, because everyone seemed to love him, with the way they spoke of him as like a father figure and how they partied with him, but there was always this dragging, tense feeling when he was in the room. Though Harry deemed the man as crazy, he wondered if the feeling was one of fear, if these men feared him. And if so, why?

“Elias been my boss since I was a wee boy. My family needed money, bad, and Boss gave me a job. I was about fifteen or somethin’.”

Harry only looked at him as if to say continue. 

“But since I been around this long I’ve also seen some stuff. Boss can be nice, but Boss can also be not nice. Boss isn’t nice to those who take from him. Money, reputation, any of that shit. He don’t like it. I learned quick to stay out of the way, do my job and do it good. Why?”

Harry shook his head quickly, feeling caught. “Nothing.” 

And, if Niall didn’t look convinced, Harry ignored it. 

 

X

 

Harry did end up getting to see the show. It was beautiful as always, really, and it was something he feels like he could watch every day and not get bored. He guesses that’s the point of circuses. 

He also guesses that’s why Louis is the closing act. His show is the most enchanting, the most memorable. It keeps the audience always wanting more and makes them leave with a light feeling in their heart. Louis just has that effect. 

It’s Luna that Harry mostly paid attention to, though. The horse was shaking more than usual and when it kneeled, it fell over. The beast made sure to get right back into position like it was trained too, but seeing a worried and concerned look flash across Louis’ face made Harry unsettled. 

So, after the show Harry got a giant case of déjà vu and went to the horse stables, where he knew Luna would be. And also, Louis. And he was right. 

The omega was once again crying into the horses’ body loudly, his body shaking even worse than before. Harry immediately ran over and picked the omega up off the floor and into his arms. 

Louis seemed to melt, like crying made his body hot as lava and when Harry touched him, he was cool again. It took him a moment to stop the tears but when he put his face in Harry’s neck and caught a whiff of the comforting pheromones the alpha was sending off, he settled wordlessly. His breaths got slower, his eyes weren’t so wet and his grip wasn’t as tight, making Harry have to maneuver him so he was like a koala around the taller one’s body. 

“She’s not okay,” Louis whispered, brokenly. “She’s only getting worse and she’s in so much pain. Elias won’t do anything.”

Harry just hushed him, turning the omega’s face back into his neck to soothe him. Louis was right, though. The horse wasn’t okay, and it was heartbreaking watching her deal with so much pain just to earn Elias a few more bucks. 

They sat there in silence with the horse for a good few hours, well into the night, when Louis spoke. “There’s going to be a party, when we stop tomorrow. We’ll be in Greensville and Elias always takes me to this club when we arrive there. We dance and he gets drunk. He’s never good to me when he’s drunk. Will you come?”

Harry didn’t think twice before saying yes. 

 

X

 

The building Harry was in was bigger than anything he’s ever seen – and he’s seen a circus elephant in the flesh. The lights were bright and, kind of harsh, really. There were people everywhere, touching him as he followed Liam’s back into the club, but it was okay because the song coming through the speakers was the one he first heard the night he danced with Louis. 

He heard his name called before he could see him, but he knew Elias had called him. Harry has a hard time distinguishing when Elias is drunk or just being his normal self, but when Elias brings him into a tight hug and the alpha gets a whiff of the man, all he can smell is booze. 

“Good to see you sir, thanks for inviting me.” Which, wasn’t a lie. Elias did end up inviting him anyway, as did Liam, but he likes to only really think about how Louis invited him first. 

Elias laughed unnecessarily. “You’re one of us now, boy! First you fix my elephant and then you fix my horse, an amazing chap you are.” Harry wants to correct him, so so bad, but holds his tongue and just gives an awkward smile before pulling out of the man’s embrace. 

“Louis,” Harry murmurs, nodding politely. He feels like it’s more proper to kiss the omega’s hand, but boundaries. He doesn’t know his boundaries. 

“Shall we sit? Have a drink?” Elias asks him, though he’s already pushing Harry into a chair and pouring him a drink. 

Harry thanked him in a few words and then surveyed the crowd of people packed into the building. He can see a bottle of champagne being messily popped in the corner and Liam and another dark-haired guy dancing. He wants to take Louis and do that, too. 

Out of nowhere did a group of neatly-dressed older men appear, walking towards their table. They greeted Elias like they’ve known the man for ages, and Harry guesses they probably have, because they all send their greetings to Louis, too.

“Harry, these are some of my old friends! Gentlemen, this is Harry. He’s got a veterinary degree and sees over all my animals. He even got my elephant to be show ready in one day.”

The men seemed very impressed, in fact the five of them each pulled up chairs to join them officially at the table. Harry was uncomfortable, because Elias had just told them the biggest lie ever, though Harry didn’t know if Elias knew it was a lie at all. The alpha looked to Louis for help, and he immediately understood. 

“Honey, me and Harry here are gonna go get some more bottles for you,” Louis said, as innocent sounding as ever. 

Elias agreed easily, though if he wasn’t hazed by alcohol Harry didn’t know if it would’ve played out the same. 

Either way, Louis took the bottom of Harry’s coat in his small hands and tugged him through the crowd, to the middle of it, where their view to Elias was cut off by human bodies, dancing. 

“He thinks I fixed his elephant.” Harry states, although his focus should be on Louis’ hands, because they’re trailing up the sides of Harry’s body and landing on his neck. The omega smiles up and giggles. 

“He’s crazy, I’ve told you. Or maybe I didn’t. But, dance with me.”

It’s not a question and Harry doesn’t take it as one, just puts his hands on the omega’s hips. His hands fit so perfectly in this spot, and with Louis’ head fitting just under his chin, it’s like their puzzle pieces, fixed together. It’s romantic, but also turns the alpha on a little more than he cares to admit. 

“You like to dance, huh?” Harry teases, looking down at Louis. His eyes are so blue, even in the dark club. 

Louis nods, his body moving fast. He turns his body around so that his back is to Harry’s front and dances more. He looks carefree like this, and this is only the second time Harry’s seen him in his element. The first being while on Luna’s back. 

Harry’s gets the picture, and starts moving his body against Louis’ to the music. 

They dance, Harry gets a whiff of a pretty, honey scent every time Louis bares his neck. They dance, and Louis grabs the ends of Harry’s curls and tugs, teasing the alpha and laughing while doing it. The dance, until Harry smells it. 

He can’t help the growl that comes out of his mouth when his nose makes contact with the scent. 

“Blue…” He growls, low in Louis’ ear. 

Louis instantly whimpers, and the look of realization is clear in his eyes. 

“Why would he let you- why would you come out like this? So close?” Harry growled, but not in anger. He tried so hard to keep his anger at bay. It was more so in frustration, trying to hold himself back and balance protecting Louis all at once. 

Louis only whimpered again in response and clung to Harry’s shirt. He stuffed his head in Harry’s neck and whined, low, thankfully. 

No other alphas in the bar had picked up on Louis’ heat scent yet, and for that, Harry was immensely grateful. So, wordlessly, Harry picked the omega up carefully and made his way out of the club, not paying any mind to the weird looks he got from confused customers. Better weird than horny for an omega in heat. 

It took Harry forever to wave a town car, but when he did he could tell Louis’ scent was starting to get stronger, because the driver made a snide comment as soon as Harry slid into the backseat, Louis in his lap. 

Said driver was a little upset when Harry realized about halfway through the ride he didn’t have any money, and jumped out of the car without paying right as they pulled up to where the train was parked for the night. The alpha didn’t care though, the only thing on his mind was getting the omega in his arms into bed safely. 

“Which car is yours?”

Louis, who had taken up to whining lowly more and more as time went one, only clung to Harry closer in response. 

Harry growled lowly. “Baby, I know, I know, but I’ve got to get you into bed so you can get through it safely,” Harry pet his hair lightly. “Which train car is yours? Up front, yeah?”

Louis, coming a little more to his senses, nods. “Second one.”

Harry doesn’t waste time heading towards the second car, climbing up the stairs and opening the door to it. 

If Harry ever thought about the ringmaster’s personal train car, which he didn’t, he’s sure he wouldn’t imagine it as eloquent and expensive-looking as this. 

It was small, still, because it was still a train car, but the bed was circular and huge, with fine, white silk sheets made perfectly underneath dozens of pretty pillows. “This yours?” Harry asks unnecessarily.

Louis finally takes his head from Harry’s neck and looks at his bed, nodding. The alpha holding him lays him down gently, and, when leaning back to let go of the omega, is grabbed roughly back down to the bed. Harry can’t say he didn’t expect this to happen, but is sad either way. 

“No, omega. You’ve gotta let go,” Harry reprimands in the softest voice possible, but still firm. He gently takes the hands grabbing his shirt and unlatches their grip from him. 

Louis whines, this time loud and hitting straight into Harry’s alpha. So much, that Harry has to close his eyes and cover his nose to get his sense back to normal. 

Louis, though, takes this the wrong way and starts crying. “Doesn’t want me,” he says sadly. 

Harry groans, knowing how high on emotions omega’s get right before heat fully kicks in, and wraps himself back around Louis lightly. It seems to calm Louis’ crying, because his body instantly stops shaking, but his scent is only getting stronger, which means Harry can’t stay more than a few more minutes. 

“No, no, I want you. I do,” Harry corrects, licking Louis’ face. He surprises himself, because that act Is usually only used between mated couples and even then it was intimate, sacred. He just wanted Louis to stop crying, though. “Just gotta go. Can’t take advantage of you.”

“You won’t,” Louis says, though his eyes are clouded and Harry can smell slick down south. Yes, definitely time to go, before he can’t stop himself. “Want you.”

Harry licks Louis one more time, before detaching himself completely and standing up. “I’ll see you. Elias will be back… please, take care. Get me if you need anything.” Which, how would Louis get to him while in heat, and why does his chest rumble in an insane way at the mere mention of Elias’ name? 

Harry doesn’t think about that, only looks at the pretty, beautiful omega laying on silk sheets and how it’s taking every ounce of power in his alpha body to leave this sight. 

 

X

 

For five days, does Harry go without laying his eyes on Louis. It’s horrible, because Harry had to take a full breath Louis’ neck before he left and that smell of an omega in heat, Louis in heat was stuck in his nose twenty-four seven. It was hell, and Harry couldn’t escape it. 

To make it worse, Elias wasn’t at any of the three shows they had throughout the week, which Harry’s mind instantly only translates to he’s with Louis, Harry’s Louis. Oh, and Harry’s mind has indefinitely branded Louis as ‘his’. 

“You okay, Harry? Dammit, you’ve been off for days! We’re about to get a break, get happy!” And well, Niall is right. Niall is also Niall and it doesn’t take much to make the beta happy as a clam, but Harry guesses a break after working for two weeks straight is something to be happy about. 

“A break?” Harry asks, curious. The alpha is just happy his mind can be preoccupied with something else for a minute. 

Niall nods from his bunk, where he’s digging the dirty from underneath his fingernails, focused. “Yeah, we in California and we always stop in California for a few days. Don’t know why.”

Harry only nods. So they’re in California, and that means he’s hours and hours away from home. He has to admit he misses it, despite trying his hardest not to feel any emotions about his past. He doesn’t let himself think about his parents, but rather how simple his life really was. He figures, he’d never have a hardship a day in his life. His house was big, his parents were wealthy and he has a degree under his arm. It’s really a big slap in the face to admit he’s now circus folk. He wants to giggle, thinking about what his mother’s friends would say to that. 

“Oh! We’re slowing down, mate! You feel it? I think we’re close to the station!” Niall instantly jumps out of his tiny bed and hurdles himself to the tiny window that looks out of the train car. The beta must be right, because he releases a happy yelp, and starts running for the door. 

“Niall! Don’t jump until we stop! You could hurt yourself!” Harry yells after him. The beta is so excited, and Harry doesn’t want him hurt. 

Thankfully, Niall doesn’t jump, only opens the door and watches the ground pass slower and slower until he deems it safe, which really isn’t all that safe but Harry says nothing, just giggles at the blonde. 

Harry can tell they’re in California the second he, too, steps off the train, and all the guys follows suite behind him. It’s hot, but there’s a nice breeze in the air, and the humidity is fierce, Harry can feel it. He takes a deep breath and smells salt, so he guesses they’re somewhere near a beach. Yes, definitely California. 

Also, definitely Louis. The alpha smells the omega, and he thinks he’s going crazy at this point, because it’s already been five days, his brain can get over the smell already! Until, he realizes this scent is stronger, heavier in his nose. It’s closer. 

“Harry?” Harry whips around in a hurry. 

The alpha would definitely not admit to how emotional he got upon seeing Louis. The omega just looked vibrant, having a past-heat glow to his skin and his scent. He was wearing the prettiest shirt and shorts combo, showing off his tan neck and thighs. Harry couldn’t help himself when he immediately gathered Louis in a hug upon first sight. 

Thankfully, Louis only giggled and hugged back, not taking long to respond at all. “I missed you too I guess.”

Harry snorted at the omega’s sarcasm and reluctantly let him go. “It’s been five days,” he innocently defended. He doesn’t mention anything about the heat, and Louis doesn’t look like he’s about to either. 

“And? You’ve went gone your whole life without me.”

And, well, that’s true. It surprised Harry how much he wanted to say something along the lines of, “doesn’t mean I want to go longer” or “I don’t want to go the rest of my life without you” because woah. Yes, it was definitely best to just chuckle awkwardly and follow the circus crowd to out of the station. 

“I actually wanted to ask if you wanted to hang out today?” Louis questioned. 

Harry was then confused. Usually, from what Niall had told him last week, when the crew did get breaks like this, they bought up a hotel and they all stayed there, using the nights to go to the local clubs and pubs and have a good time. But, what Niall didn’t include, was that if Louis went with them. Or any of the performers for that matter. The beta only ever mentioned the crew in his very detailed night-time stories. 

“I think I have to get a room with Niall actually, he told me that’s what they do…”

Louis laughed, grabbing Harry’s arm lightly. “Yeah, that’s what the crew does from what I’m told. But I kind of wanted to take you somewhere!” 

“I mean… I have to get a room at least, I have to have somewhere to stay-“

“Don’t worry about that! You’ll stay with me!” And, Louis looks so happy as he says that, Harry doesn’t have the heart to tell him no. Even though Louis smells like lingering heat and that could be so, so dangerous in the future, he’s also smiling and has his hands clasped behind his back so prettily, batting his eyelashes like a doll. 

“Harry! C’mon you joke, we oughta get our room now!” Niall screams, coming back for his friend after noticing he wasn’t following. Though, when he sees Louis next to Harry, he tenses. “Is everythin’ alright, sir?” Niall asks. 

Louis giggles once more at Niall’s formality. “Call me sir again and you’re off the train!” When he sees Niall’s expression turn to one of fear, he quickly corrects himself. “No, no I didn’t mean that! I was only joking, love! Just, you called me sir…”

Niall relaxes, but only a little and is still really tense even though he offers up a smile to the omega. 

“But anyways,” Louis continues, “I was wanting to steal Harry away.. I mean he can still get his room but just to hang out-“

Niall interrupts. “Nonsense! I’ll get us both a room and we can share, no reason not to. You go, Harry, you can come back later, I’ll tell the lady at the desk!”

With that, Louis immediately grabs the strap of Harry’s suspenders and pulls him away from the rest of the crew. Harry smiles at Niall in goodbye and follows the omega a couple blocks down unfamiliar roads before he actually asks the big question. 

“Where are we going?” 

Louis doesn’t answer, instead taking up smiling at the lady running the flower stand they’ve just passed. 

“Blue, you seem to know these roads. Where are you taking me?” By now Harry’s laughing, because it’s kind of ridiculous having an omega pulling you down several streets by your suspenders only. 

Louis speaks, then. “We’re going to the beach.”

And really, he’s not exactly lying, because seconds later the streets end and open up to sand, water, and a pretty house. It’s big, bright yellow and very expensive looking. “Who’s is this?”Harry wonders aloud. 

Louis doesn’t answer that question quite yet either. He pulls Harry right up to the front door and opens it, walking in live he owns the place. Which… “This was my parent’s house, I love coming here.” 

“Your parent’s house? You lived here?” 

Louis hums. “Mhmm. Elias… we met at the circus, seems like forever ago but it was only a few years. I lived here then, and since I’m away I come back. I like remembering… my old life. How I used to live.” There’s sadness In his voice even though the omega is smiling, looking around. 

Everything is dusty, but it’s gorgeous. There’s a whole beach vibe to it, but you can still tell it’s a family home. Harry adores it’s simple yet extravagant style, and goes to sit at the dining room table. “How did you used to live, then?” He asks, smiling up at the shorter boy. “You talk proper. You had a nice upbringing.

Louis smiles at Harry, bright and coy while taking his own seat at the table. “I’m sure you can tell I did. I’ve only gone to high school. Elias kind of took away the further schooling thing when we met and he wanted the circus, but oh! I was so popular at school. It’s kind of silly, but I loved having so many friends and always having fun with them. I used to run outside in the beach with them almost every night.”

Harry didn’t dare comment on the fact that Elias took away the chance for Louis to go to school, not even knowing if he had any interest in it. So, he went with the latter subject. “And you don’t have friends now?”

Louis shook his head, slowly. “Elias doesn’t really like it. Liam is my closest friend, well, before you came along.”

“We’re friends?”

“Well sure, you don’t think so?” And well, the omega looks so hopeful, as if Harry would ever say no to that question, crush his spirits like that. 

“Of course.”

Louis smiles again, standing up and walking towards the big, French doors that lead to the balcony/patio out back. Harry follows like it’s an instinct. “What about your life? How did you live it before you stepped onto Anastasia?” The omega asks, looking out onto the water. 

Harry thought the question over, because he hadn’t exactly let himself think about his past much. He doesn’t even know how’d he’d describe even if he did think about it. “I went to veterinary school the last four years. It was so… simple. I did good in school and my parents weren’t bad, we had money and very little issues…” 

“And?”

Harry furrowed his eyebrows, finally turning and looking at Louis instead of the wide, blue ocean. “And what?”

Louis huffs, “Well, you say it like your life was bad, but you’re saying it wasn’t bad. So, what else?”

Harry doesn’t know what to say to that. “I… I don’t know, I just, adventure is everything. Although I love animals, and I wanna take care of them, stepping on a train, not knowing where it’s going or what it is has been oddly exciting.”

Louis is smiling up at him. It makes his brain numb. 

“I met Niall, who is arguably the best person ever. I met your horses, I get to see a circus every night and then there’s you…”

Louis snorts. “Me? What about me?”

Harry looks down bashfully, not realizing he had even said what he just did. 

Louis hits his arm lightly. “Tell me, I just… I don’t ever have friends, or talk to people and Elias always has me cooped up-“

“It’s always Elias.”

“Huh?” Louis squeaks. Harry’s tone is harsh, now, and the voice has a slight timbre of alpha in it. It makes Louis’ skin crawl visibly. 

“Elias, holding you back from school and friends and even making you ride your horse, your baby horse Luna into the grave and he just doesn’t deserve you, but you’re so fine with it all, you listen and obey…”

There’s silence then, for quite some time. It’s tense, and Harry doesn’t know what to do with himself because from what Niall said, he might’ve just pissed off the ringmaster’s wife and gotten himself killed all in a couple seconds. He can’t breath for a few moments, realizing this. 

“Louis, I didn’t mean-“

“What you’re not going to do is tell me I just listen, and I obey, because I’ve already told you, I don’t.”

Harry gulps, looking at the omega though the omega won’t look at him. 

“I barely talk to him when we’re alone, I… I put on that front, because I have nothing else! You don’t even think about that, though,” He sounds very mad at the moment, slamming his hand down on the balcony rail and still not looking at the alpha. “He didn’t even… I didn’t even let him in.. during my heat. I hate him, Harry. So much.” Louis’ voice chokes at the end, and Harry can’t be faster when he wraps the omega in his arms for what feels like the millionth time, hugging him close. 

“Sh, baby it’s okay, I’m sorry I didn’t know.”

Louis whines, and Harry pats his bottom to get him to wrap his legs around him. 

Harry lets Louis guide him up stairs and into a bed room at the end of the hall, where he lays Louis down at the bed as soon as his eyes land on it. He gets under the covers and wraps Louis up tight, still hugging him. 

When Louis’ calmed down a little, Harry can’t help but ask something. “You spent your heat… alone?” And, it’s only because of things Harry’s heard. He can personally say ruts without an omega are one of the worst things to go through, but he’s only ever heard that it’s worse for omega’s specifically bonded ones that go through heats alone, because their bodies are already accustomed to having an alpha, always. So, thinking about Louis in pain makes him sad. 

Louis nods, finally looking up at the alpha. “Yeah… I just couldn’t. I didn’t want him..”

“But you wanted me.” Harry can’t stop himself when that flies out of his mouth, and well, now he’s entirely embarrassed himself, again. He swore not to bring what happened up because it was entirely possible Louis had forgotten it in his pre-heat haze. 

“Yeah, I did,” Louis mutters, still looking up at Harry. 

Harry also doesn’t think when he immediately takes Louis’ cheek in his palm and kisses him. 

And that’s how it starts. 

Louis’ whines have been engraved in the back of Harry’s head for a week now, they’ve become the soundtrack to his daily life on the train but there’s just something about hearing them in person, as he’s taking off the omega’s pretty shirt that does it for him even more. And when the alpha reaches for Louis’ shorts and tugs once, twice for permission and he only gets a loud whine of agreement in turn, it makes his cock swell. 

“I’ve waited so long to kiss you,” Harry admits, in between having his lips attached to Louis’ and minimal air in his lungs. He can feel his hands shaking slightly where he’s touching Louis’ waist, gripping the curve of it and feeling the smoothness of Louis’ skin. It’s bliss. 

Louis doesn’t take to answering very well during sex, Harry figures because the omega just covers his mouth again and kisses with so much passion and lust that his head blanks out entirely for a few seconds. A few seconds too long, because his eyes almost miss the sight of Louis, who’s kicked off his bottoms and now only wears a pair of small, silk panties, gold in color. 

“You’re going to kill me,” Harry exhales, immediately trailing down Louis’ hips, kissing his path. He doesn’t hesitate to suck and bite the skin between Louis’ thighs until there’s a shiny, deep red mark where his lips have been. He also doesn’t hesitate to do a few more times. 

“You like marking me up?” Louis whines, his hand tangled in Harry’s hair where it’s resting between his spread legs. He can’t lie, the omega feels like a whore, so spread out for a man that isn’t his husband. But he can’t stop, and won’t. 

Harry hums, coming back up to kiss Louis’ mouth one last time before he starts unstrapping his suspenders. “Makin’ you mine.”

Louis whimpers, and Harry kicks it into high gear if it wasn’t already. He’s got his shirt and pants off in no time and by then, Louis’ whines are so loud his alpha can’t help the growl that escapes his chest. “Stop acting like alpha isn’t taking care of you,” he orders uncontrollably. 

Louis quiets down then, taking to licking Harry’s neck and shoving his face in the crook of it, wallowing in his alpha scent and waiting. He watches patiently as Harry’s drops his underwear and if he wasn’t just really desperate himself for some attention, his mouth would be on the cock in front of his eyes. He’s practically drooling all over his parents bed by how much his mouth salivates at the thought of tasting it. But, another time, because Harry’s moved between Louis’ legs again and it disappears from the omega’s view. 

“Can I take these off sweetheart?” Harry asks, fingers already curling around Louis’ panties and tugging to get his point across. 

Louis nods swiftly, and Harry doesn’t waste time in getting Louis’ cock and balls out of the silk. His cock is small and beautiful, Harry immediately gets his mouth on it, sucking lightly as not to overwhelm Louis. 

Louis squirms and puts his hand back in Harry’s hair, whimpering. 

Harry keeps going until he can feel Louis’ thighs shaking around where his head lays, and he knows that probably means the omega is close. He pools off in an instant and wipes his mouth because wow, he got messy while going in and out of blissful consciousness because wow, sucking cock is amazing but sucking Louis’ cock? Extraordinary. 

Louis’ small body squirms against the now-heated sheets once more. Harry chuckles. “Baby, just gotta let you calm down a little, want you to come from something else.” The something else is very much Harry’s cock if he has anything to say about it and if Louis wants it, but he leaves that part out. 

Louis scoffs through the needy whines he can’t help but make even though Harry isn’t touching him at all anymore. “Well, hurry it up! I haven’t got all day.”

Harry nods. “Yes m’am.” And with that, the alpha takes his finger and gets it wet by putting in his mouth that’s full of spit. He makes sure the digit is as wet as possible before bringing it down to where Louis’ legs are spread. He ghosts the finger over his hole lightly, watching the beautiful sight with shining, almost hopeful eyes. 

Louis is embarrassed to say that upon the touch, his legs spread even wider, welcoming the man’s broad shoulders and his intruding fingers. “Damn opening me up! I’ve got enough slick to make it as good as ever, just get in me Alpha!” 

Harry is sure the order meant to sound stern and determined, but it comes out begging, pleading, so he immediately withdrawls his fingers. Not without sucking the slick right off of it though, it smelled entirely too good to go without even just a little taste. “Was just trying to make sure I didn’t hurt my baby,” Harry mumbles, grabbing his cock and giving it a few pumps before he moved towards Louis. 

“Shh, love,” Harry whispers, moving in close to Louis and kissing him gently as he pushes in. The omega takes in a deep breath and doesn’t breathe until the alpha is all the tucked inside of him, like a heavy weight. It’s the best feeling in the world and Louis knew Harry was big, but feeling the alpha pulse inside his hole made his body shake. 

“You’re so big,” Louis whimpers, moving his hips to get comfortable on the thing. 

Harry chuckles and does little motions to help the omega get used to the feeling, knowing taking an alpha coke is no small task. Alpha’s had naturally bigger ones, and although omega’s were designed to take them, he was also aware his was on the larger side. 

“I’m good, alpha,” Louis confirmed, combing his hands through Harry’s now-messy hair lovingly. He hums and closes his eyes, throwing his head back when Harry drags his prick out at a snail’s pace, so only the head is in. 

It’s a sigh for the alpha, watching his cock be completely swallowed by Louis. He thinks he’s in love by how well he just… takes it. He can’t stop staring at the scene until Louis whines high in his throat and Harry’s alpha sense immediately look up to see how he can fix Louis’ sadness, only to find Louis just wants to be fucked, plain and simple.   
“I’ve got you,” Harry assures, and rams his cock back inside, hard. 

Louis immediately screams from pleasure and grabs onto the alpha’s shoulders for purchase. 

That’s how they fuck, hard and fast because Harry loves the way that if there are neighbors home near-by, they’ll definitely hear an alpha claiming his omega, Harry claiming Louis in the most intimate way, even if he wasn’t his to claim, whether it be from Louis’ screams or how hard the headboard hits the wall every time Harry shoves his cock in Louis. 

“Knot! Knot!” Louis screams and, Harry just isn’t in his right mind, because he immediately screams right back. 

“Oh baby, you’re gonna get Alpha’s knot, and his pups. Gonna pump you full of my babies.”

Surprisingly, Louis screams louder, shoving his face into Harry’s neck to shut himself up because he knows he’s just obnoxious at this point but he can’t help it, it feels so good, better than anything he’s gotten in years. 

“Pups! Want Alpha’s pups!” 

Harry cums at the sound of that, his orgasm being ripped out of him with only two sentences. He can feel the way his knot forms in the omega, how it almost pops in place and locks them together first, then spills with his seed. It’s so much, he can feel it. There’s so much of him being emptied into Louis and he’s more than happy about it. 

Louis too, sees stars as soon as he feels Harry’s cock begin to inflate with a knot, with come that’s going to fill him very soon. He makes a mess of his tummy and paints it white. When he’s done, out of breath and coming down slowly but surely, he kisses Harry. He kisses him with so much power and adoration he thinks, when his head hits the pillow next, he just might pass out from exhaustion, but it’s worth it. 

“That was amazing,” Harry comments, breaking them. He looks into Louis’ gorgeous, crystal eyes and gives a small tired smile at the daze in them. The omega isn’t all the way up from his orgasm, Harry can tell, so he just kisses his forehead and wraps them both up in the blankets they knocked off in their haste. He’s sweaty and Louis is dirty with come, but they have a while until his knot goes down so he puts them both to sleep. 

 

X

 

Harry woke up an hour later. His knot had gone down during his nap and he was able to pull out of Louis’ hole with ease, even though he was still really worried he’d wake up the still-sleeping omega in the process. He didn’t, so the alpha decided he’d do some snooping around the beach house and find something to make for a middle-of-the-day-meal. 

He found his pants somewhere across the room and pulled them on, letting the suspenders fall beside his hips lazily. He checked on Louis’ sleeping form once more before he deemed him warm and cozy enough and made his way into the kitchen. 

Of course, seeing as Harry is pretty sure this house hasn’t actually been used in years, there’s nothing to be made. If he had money, he’d make his way down to the little shop he saw on their way here and purchase some cheap breakfast food, just so Louis had something sweet to wake up to before all hell broke loose. 

And, all hell will break loose, because Harry just had sex with Louis, the ringmaster’s omega who he works for and is very afraid of. Harry also takes cares of this man’s animals, and therefore his money-making horse that is soon to be hitting the grave very soon, sadly.

“Harry?” Louis’ voice travels all the way to the kitchen, gentle and hazy with sleep. 

Harry smiles, small and private to himself. “In the kitchen, love.”

It’s then that Harry hears the soft pitter-patter of feet slowly making their way out of the bedroom, down the hall and into the room he inhabits. 

“There’s no food in here.” Louis states the obvious. 

“Wanna get breakfast, then get back on the train?” Harry suggests, grabbing a glass from the cabinet and filling It with tap water from the sink. 

He doesn’t get a response, and when he looks back at Louis, the omega has a look of horror on his face. “Love, what’s wrong?” Harry asks, grabbing Louis’ arm lightly in comfort. 

“The train. We have to get back on it and you- I smell like you! You scented me so much and I wallowed around in a bed that smelled of another alpha! I’ll never get it off of me in time and Elias, Elias doesn’t even know where I am! What was I-“

“Sh, baby. Love. Sweetheart. My sweet, sweet omega. Go shower,” Harry stops his ranting. “Use the bar soap like crazy and as much as this pains me, wash away my scent. If that doesn’t work, the salt water will surely over power my scent.”

Louis’ face softens significantly and he nods, although his face is still upset. Harry kisses his cheek lightly and sniffs him just once more, loving the smell of their scents mixed together before he knows it’ll be washed away down a metal drain and into an endless ocean. 

With that, Louis goes and showers. Harry idles in the kitchen and thinks while he’s in there, because he still has to get back on the train and work for Louis’ husband. He’s fucked. 

After Louis is done, they walk back to where the train is motionless hand in hand, until they get close that is. Louis untangles their fingers with a sorrow expression and gives Harry an apologetic smile, but the alpha understands, and kisses his head to make it alright. 

 

They don’t talk about it. Harry hardly sees Louis, actually, apart from when he’s performing and Harry’s eyes dazzle in endless wonder. He doesn’t ever get tired of seeing Louis perform and put his beauty on show for the thousands of people that come to see it. 

What he does get tired of, is seeing Luna, a beautiful white pony shake with pain and agony more and more every night. 

It’s in Harry’s blood, he supposes. All the years he attended veterinary school were spent close to animals and learning about them, more importantly, helping them when they were in pain. So, seeing Luna scream wordlessly for help and seeing her not get any, it does Harry’s head in. He really only has one option. 

It’s late, really late. The set up crew and performers stay up late on show days anyways, celebrating a good show gone well, and Harry can hear the partying going on at the very back of the train, where he knows Niall is being a very good host. Harry’s sad he can’t attend tonight, but he’s got business to take care of. 

Although he hasn’t talked to Louis, the alpha knows him well enough to know he’s not up for partying right now, and as he moves throughout the train cars to the very front of the train, and hears the performers’ loud ruckus, he knows Louis probably isn’t in attendance. He still needs him, though. 

He’s soon met with the train car that holds the party the performers are throwing. It’s almost comical, how drunk they are that they don’t blink an eye when Harry enters. They all say hi to him as if they personally all know him, even though he’s never said a word to half of them. Harry calls it luck to himself, because he’s able to skate past the car with no objections from them and move on to the very first car: the ringleader’s quarters. Louis.

He didn’t actually think about what he was going to do at this point. His only thought was really to fetch Louis. So, he knocks. 

Louis answers the door, and Harry lets out a loud breathe. 

“What? Harry,-“

“You need to come with me.” Harry says, leaving no room for argument. 

Louis furrows his eyebrows, crosses his arms, and cocks his hip. “Where? Harry, the train is moving.” It’s just then that Harry realizes the omega is in a pretty, silk robe that’s gorgeous on his skin. But he can’t think about that right now. 

“Louis, it’s-… you’ll thank me later. You’ll want this,” Harry guarantees. 

Louis studies the alpha’s face for approximately five seconds before he nods, shutting the door quietly behind him and grabbing Harry’s outstretched hand. Harry also barely notices that Louis is barefoot. Great. Hopefully the performers’ are too drunk to notice Louis in a robe, barefoot, following an alpha that isn’t Elias around. 

And, well, luck is on Harry’s side tonight because they don’t bat an eyelash at the sight. Half of them were knocked out and Louis couldn’t hold in giggles when they past through the car. 

Finally, Harry gets to where he needs to be. Where they need to be. 

It was picturesque, the white horse with the lightest of hair laying under the moonlight. The beast was breathing, but very slowly, too slow by the timely rise and fall of her body. It was ironic, how pretty this pony looked compared to how much pain she was in, Harry laughed to himself bitterly, tears already in his eyes.

Louis ran to her. Of course he did, Harry didn’t need to spell out the reason they were there, the reason Harry woke him up and brought him. So, instead, Harry sat down beside an already-sobbing Louis and stared, wishing, hoping, but getting nothing.

“If you could be anywhere else…” Harry said, softly, after ten minutes or so of silence.

Louis didn’t even let the alpha finish. “I would go to the sea. Me and Luna, we’d ride down the shores for weeks, maybe we could have the elephant too, the poor baby.”

Harry hummed. “I’d be away from Elias. No more circus, no more different place every night, just free.”

“I’d give you the sea if I could,” Harry said, looking up into the omega’s eyes. They shined bright under the moonlight too, and all Harry could think was god, what a pair these two sweet creatures are.

The omega smiled a sad smile, and looked back down at his pony lovingly. He took a deep breath, then kissed his neck, then her forehead, and she let him silently, almost like she felt all the love he was thrusting to her. “Goodbye, my love. These last few years were the best of my life with you.”

Harry kissed her too, light and quick.

And says good bye too.


End file.
